CHAMPIONS LEAGUE LAST 16, 2ND LEG - RESULT
July Fourth 2-0 LMUc
July Fourth win 2-0 aggregate
July Fourth 4-5-1 V-Style 131.7 - LMUc 124.6 3N-4-1-2
LMUc are a troll team. They made life difficult for us and had started the most lively of the 2 teams, Hardy was successful in dealing with all the tackles back in defence for us but eventually LMUc found a way past our defence with Mori getting a clear run on goal and Hansen's shot being saved for a corner... The corner was headed away to safety from Ramirez and we dodged a bullet there. Pekas then managed to get a shot on target and Knight pulled off a great save. Soon July Fourth had the ball in a dangerous area with Watsons pass finding Petersen to tuck it in for his 10th of the season, Hardy then won a couple of challenges before Turley was forced off injured for LMUc... We won a free-kick and Beckett dispatched it perfectly in the top corner to give us a 2-0 lead at HT.
LMUc were not done yet and were still in the game on the counter with Pekas trying to break forward early on with Hardy winning that tackle as well... An away goal would put them within a goal of knocking us out the competition, Campo's corner was headed away by Malik and Hogan had to make another challenge... but soon Petersen had a great chance to end this as a contest and opted to pass to Ramirez who fired it over the bar. Petersen then took a shot on target but it was saved and Papaleo was replaced by Pietropaolo late on as well as Miku coming on for Watson. Time was running out for LMUc and Miku did a good job of keeping the ball in the opponents half of the field and run the clock down, Petersen had another late effort blocked but we soon heard the full time whistle and that means we qualify.
Goals: Petersen (29) Beckett (40) MOTM: Hardy - 1pt
Manager Points: Hardy 3,Petersen 2,Knight 1.
Top 5 Standings: Pietropaolo 28,Beckett 22,Petersen 19,Calavicci 17,Papaleo 16.
Team Talk: We done enough to get this difficult tie but no more. I felt that we could of played better over the 2 legs but LMUc showed a lot of resilience and also it gives hope to teams with a similar quality of LMUc that it's possible to turn us over. July Fourth will need to play better in the Quarter-Finals as we face arch-rivals from last season in the league NAMO UNITED as they won their last 16 tie with a 4-1 aggregate win. They will be a handful with their POWER SUPPORT.
If LMUc took their early chances in this tie... Then we would of been eliminated.